How Do You Deliver a Stern Warning for Absenteeism and Misconduct? Seeking Advice!

I have to issue a warning letter or a verbal warning and then give feedback about the same to an employee. Can you please suggest how to give them a stern warning? Below are the few topics I am asked to give warnings on: absenteeism, break exceeding, late logins, process violation, and behavioral misconduct. Kindly provide some tips.

Hi,

Please prepare a detailed warning letter addressing the above misconduct. If any previous warnings have been issued, please reference those as well. Before issuing the warning letter, help the individual understand the impact of their misconduct on the workplace and their future with the company. Ask them how they would handle a subordinate behaving in a similar manner if they were in a managerial position. A mere warning letter may strain the relationship further. It is important to have a conversation with the individual, listen to their views, and conclude the discussion on a positive note.

Feedback Preparation for Employee Warnings

This is in addition to what Mr. Lakshminarayanan has said. Whether verbal or written feedback, one must be ready with the actual facts. Consider the following:

Absenteeism

- Who was absent, when they were absent, and how many times they were absent. What was the impact on their department's work because of the absence?

Break Exceeding

- Who took the extended breaks, how many times it happened, and what was the total delay?

Late Logins

- Who had delayed logins, how many times it happened, and did it impact customer satisfaction?

Process Violation

- Who violated the process, how many times it happened? Did it result in customer dissatisfaction? Did it impact the work of any other department?

Behavioral Misconduct

- Who displayed abrasive behavior? When did the incident happen? Where did it happen? Who were the witnesses? Was it between employees of the same department? Was it a system flaw that resulted in conflict? Were the employees involved protecting their own turf (protecting the interest of their department)?

Before calling the employee, be ready to give feedback. Decide which phrases or words you ought to use while giving feedback. Be prepared if the employee remains defiant.

Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar